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where to start - my head is wrecked!

  • 21-01-2009 12:23PM
    #1
    buck65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,969 ✭✭✭


    Listening to Aphex twin alot at the moment and love alot of jazz (Coltrane is a favourite) and some neo-classical music along with the likes of Colleen, Zorn some electroacoustic stuff too. Any seminal experimental stuff I should be listening to?
    I don't mind weird stuff as such but certainly something with a groove or melody would be welcome.
    I know this is a "how long is a piece of string" post but sure any help would be great.


Comments

  • #2
    cornbb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,790 ✭✭✭cornbb


    buck65 wrote: »
    Listening to Aphex twin alot at the moment and love alot of jazz (Coltrane is a favourite) and some neo-classical music along with the likes of Colleen, Zorn some electroacoustic stuff too. Any seminal experimental stuff I should be listening to?
    I don't mind weird stuff as such but certainly something with a groove or melody would be welcome.
    I know this is a "how long is a piece of string" post but sure any help would be great.

    Thats a pretty open question alright :eek: :)

    Do you mean seminal in the academic sense (i.e. "required listening" in order to get a sense of the history of experimental music), or just seminal in the sense of excellent albums?

    For a start maybe check out some of the Works of the Month: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055375729 - many of them are "seminal" in the former (academic) sense of the word (such as Terry Riley, Eric Satie, Steve Reich, and Alvin Lucier).

    For more contemporary stuff Aphex Twin is a good place to start, listen to drukqs if you haven't done so already as I reckon its the most broadly experimental of his albums (and an excellent one to boot). There aren't many other experimental artists like him with so much depth, but Squarepusher would spring to mind immediately, he would bring in a jazz element that you might enjoy.

    Its difficult to suggest where to go next, there are so many sub-genres. Any particular Aphex Twin works that you might like particularly, any ones that you think might be a doorway to something new?


  • #3
    buck65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,969 ✭✭✭buck65


    I would say seminal as in excellent - essential listening more so than academically. The Squarepusher recommendation is a good one thanks (the jazz influence could be a winner here).
    As far as Aphex twin - my favourites would be SAW2 and Richard James ep.
    I guess what I am hoping for is expanding my collection and tastes and I reckon you guys may have the info I need:pac:
    Cerainly the electroacoustic stuff does interest me alot but also some just leaves me cold. For instance Frances White's - Centre bridge I love but Evan Parker's elctroacoustic just doesn't do it. I guess I am a sucker for melody, reardless of how far it is burried below the surface. The albums of the month to me seem more academic apart from Everyone alive... which I own and love.


  • #4
    Setun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,805 ✭✭✭Setun


    /flings door open
    Did someone say Coltrane? :p Ascension is quite experimental, as is Interstellar Space, and both are highly enjoyable if you like late Coltrane.

    I know I'm beginning to sound like a repetitive looping minimal trance-jazz stuck record, but I'm going to have to recommend The Necks again. More people need to listen to them so I have someone to praise them with! They're incredibly important in terms of jazz meeting more experimental musical approaches - they take inspiration from various sources from Steve Reich to In a Silent Way. I'd heavily recommend Mosquito/See Through, Drive By, or Townsville to start off.


  • #5
    buck65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,969 ✭✭✭buck65


    now we're sucking diesel
    great off to Amazon!!
    cheers
    keep em coming


  • #6
    cornbb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,790 ✭✭✭cornbb


    Ok, based on the fact that you said you like Aphex Twin's SAW2 I'm going to suggest:

    Brian Eno - Music for Airports - a "seminal" ambient album - not my favourite in the world but regarded as essential listening anyway
    The Orb - Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld - a fantastic mindblowing piece of work I think, although it took me a while to come around to it :)
    Higher Intelligence Agency - Freefloater - not terribly experimental really, but its a great album and has a really nice "groove and melody", so something to counteract the other 2 albums I've suggested a bit.

    These 3 albums are pretty chilled out so let us know if you want something more demanding :pac:

    Electroacoustic is a bit more tricky - especially electroacoustic stuff with a hint of melody! I don't know much about contemporary electroacoustic stuff (as opposed to the academic stuff) so I'll have a think about that.

    As for Squarepusher, Hard Normal Daddy is my favourite I think - plenty of jazzy influences and I reckon he reins in some of the craziness to put a bit more care into structuring the tunes really nicely.


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  • #7
    Scubadevils
    Subscribers Posts: 8,325 ✭✭✭Scubadevils


    Based on what you say you are after, and the reference to Aphex Twin and jazz influences etc... I reckon we could have you bankrupt here pretty quickly!

    Just a couple from me for now, and the first especially as I was listening to it again last night - The Detroit Escalator Company...

    The Inverted Man (Falling)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-N7ruKSW_s


    Shifting Gears

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE8Hqi9j__s


    And one from Carl Craig, a personal favourite of mine

    Desire

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7MD2sIsbdQ


    If you like these, trust me, there are vast amounts more where these came from!


  • #8
    Scubadevils
    Subscribers Posts: 8,325 ✭✭✭Scubadevils


    I am always rabbiting on too about Kettel, producer from Holland, hugely talented...

    http://www.discogs.com/artist/Kettel

    The Wombat

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZYcrdtmw04


    Palle's Popsong

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djh3EOsLDH0


    Coddle

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3oNo83wRew


  • #9
    Scubadevils
    Subscribers Posts: 8,325 ✭✭✭Scubadevils


    Snivilisation by Orbital is well worth a listen, their most experimental album and the one that has stood the test of time the most for me.

    http://www.discogs.com/Orbital-Snivilisation/release/868

    This song 'Kein Trink Wasser' is just out of this world, amazing. I had the pleasure of hearing it live in the Point Depot back in 1996, brings a tear to the eye, memories :(

    Kein Trink Wasser

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSZmQdvJA6A


    Sad But True

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSG_CjcbfKI


    Science Friction

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTFOQagX4v0


  • #10
    Anima
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,945 ✭✭✭Anima


    Kettel is good but I dunno, theres just something about his music that I eventually get bored of. He does have some very good songs but a lot do sound similar.

    I'd recommend "Farenheit Fair Enough" by Telefon Tel Aviv. Great album.


  • #11
    Scubadevils
    Subscribers Posts: 8,325 ✭✭✭Scubadevils


    Yeah I could kinda see why you might say that about Kettel - his albums for me are something that I don't listen to that frequently but love them when I do. You know those ones where a month or two might go by and you decide to give it a spin again and really enjoy them.

    I'm not mad on Telefon Tel Aviv, I think Farenheit is a good album alright but maybe a bit too clinical in production or something? Their next one (can't remember the name) was absolutely terrible - like a bad R&B album or something!


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  • #12
    jiltloop
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,273 ✭✭✭jiltloop


    You might like some music by Susumu Yakota. Stand out albums would be Grinning Cat and Sakura, Grinning Cat being my personal favourite.


  • #13
    DelBoycie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20 ✭DelBoycie


    cornbb wrote: »
    Ok, based on the fact that you said you like Aphex Twin's SAW2 I'm going to suggest:

    Brian Eno - Music for Airports - a "seminal" ambient album - not my favourite in the world but regarded as essential listening anyway
    The Orb - Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld - a fantastic mindblowing piece of work I think, although it took me a while to come around to it :)
    Higher Intelligence Agency - Freefloater - not terribly experimental really, but its a great album and has a really nice "groove and melody", so something to counteract the other 2 albums I've suggested a bit.

    These 3 albums are pretty chilled out so let us know if you want something more demanding :pac:

    Electroacoustic is a bit more tricky - especially electroacoustic stuff with a hint of melody! I don't know much about contemporary electroacoustic stuff (as opposed to the academic stuff) so I'll have a think about that.

    As for Squarepusher, Hard Normal Daddy is my favourite I think - plenty of jazzy influences and I reckon he reins in some of the craziness to put a bit more care into structuring the tunes really nicely.

    I agree with you on Brian Eno but I have to say I prefer Apollo.

    As for The Orb good call but I haven't heard that album :( although I've heard lots about it. Have you heard U.F.Orb?


  • #14
    Scubadevils
    Subscribers Posts: 8,325 ✭✭✭Scubadevils


    jiltloop wrote: »
    You might like some music by Susumu Yakota. Stand out albums would be Grinning Cat and Sakura, Grinning Cat being my personal favourite.

    Yeah defo Susumu - not quite sure on my favourites from him but Sakura and Grinning Cat certainly up there - the Skintone collection might be a nice place to start and is really well put together for a compilation:

    http://www.discogs.com/Susumu-Yokota-Skintone-Collection-The-Best-Of-Susumu-Yokota/release/1224687
    DelBoycie wrote: »
    I agree with you on Brian Eno but I have to say I prefer Apollo.

    As for The Orb good call but I haven't heard that album :( although I've heard lots about it. Have you heard U.F.Orb?

    Welcome!

    +1 for Apollo, love it - 'An Ending (Ascent)' must be one of the most amazing pieces of music ever made.

    As for the Orb, they are an essential part of any collection when it comes to experimental electronic and ambient. I would start at the beginning with Adventures alright as per Cornbb's suggestion - one of my personal nearest and dearest albums, have had that almost since it came out in the early 90's. U.F.Orb is a great album too but I reckon Adventures trumps it. Everything from The Orb up to 'Orblivion' is excellent really, went a bit downhill after that in my opinion.

    Another not mentioned yet are The Black Dog, should also fit the bill, absolutely amazing music - good place to start here would probably be near the beginning with 'Spanners' - not their first but I think a better starting point:

    http://www.discogs.com/Black-Dog-Spanners/release/625

    Raxmus / Bolt 1 / Barbola Work

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0QfSVNZ04M


    Psil-cosyin

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z-G2fRjER8


    Then of course Plaid...

    http://www.discogs.com/artist/Plaid


  • #15
    JLemmon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 266 ✭✭JLemmon


    Maybe some of the BBC Radiophonic workshop stuff?
    Some German stuff from the late 60's and early 70's.
    Robert Wyatt is always great.
    Dub Reggae, King Tubby or Augustus Pablo to start.


  • #16
    buck65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,969 ✭✭✭buck65


    Anyone here listn to Jeff Mills? was reading about him in the Wire this month.Seems like an interesting character.


  • #17
    Scubadevils
    Subscribers Posts: 8,325 ✭✭✭Scubadevils


    Would have listened to Jeff Mills in the past alright but not so much these days. He is certainly a significant figure when it comes to techno and has experimented somewhat with classical/techno pieces which did nothing for me anyway - Carl Craig & Moritz Von Oswald though are another story, they have done some amazing techno/classical work together.


  • #18
    Setun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,805 ✭✭✭Setun


    Anima wrote: »
    Kettel is good but I dunno, theres just something about his music that I eventually get bored of. He does have some very good songs but a lot do sound similar.

    I'd recommend "Farenheit Fair Enough" by Telefon Tel Aviv. Great album.
    You're namesake is a great suggestion actually Anima. Is that where your username comes from? :cool: Actually speaking of Vladislav Delay, I picked up a back issue of the wire from Road Records (RIP) the other day with a feature on him. His studio is sh!t hot. :eek:

    I grabbed a copy of Quantum Transposition by Arpanet randomly aswell, and is very good in terms of glitchy ambient electronica - enjoying it muchly at the moment. Anyone else a fan of that album?


  • #19
    Anima
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,945 ✭✭✭Anima


    Heh I actually got it from the game Final Fantasy X, thought it sounded nice. It means "soul" in Italian I think.


  • #20
    John
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,135 ✭✭✭✭John


    Yep, it means soul or spirit.

    Anima is also the name of two bands. One is a 70s German freakout group led by a woman called Limpe Fuchs who might be of interest to some people here. Very difficult listening at first but wow, amazing stuff!

    The other have changed their name to Aniima due to the above band already existing and they're a group of four women who play all sorts of instruments (and form the string section of Sigur Rós). Not very experimental but certainly quirky and for me form a link between the more accessible parts of Aphex Twin et al. and indie music. Check them out!


  • #21
    Orizio
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,460 ✭✭✭Orizio


    I might suggest Venetian Snares to everyone here. Depending on what album you get, he makes brutal drum 'n bass sometimes mixed with classical.


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  • #22
    Scubadevils
    Subscribers Posts: 8,325 ✭✭✭Scubadevils


    Another actually while I think of it that perfectly fits the bill is Spacetime Continuum...

    http://www.discogs.com/artist/Spacetime+Continuum

    Kairo

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP-btSmBg-k


    Above track taken from this album...

    http://www.discogs.com/Spacetime-Continuum-Emit-Ecaps/release/2057


  • #23
    buck65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,969 ✭✭✭buck65


    ok bought the following on your recommendations

    Brian Eno - Apollo
    The Necks - Townsville
    Sakura

    and Naked City (not xactly ambient!)
    cheers


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